


Robbed

by qookyquiche



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: DJWifi, F/M, Marichat, Miraculous Ladybug Blackout, adrienette - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-11-22 08:03:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11376024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qookyquiche/pseuds/qookyquiche
Summary: Marinette has a little bit of online trouble and Adrien volunteers to help out.Will it all work out in the end?





	1. Discovery

**Author's Note:**

> My first multi-chapter fic dedicated to the two-week Miraculous Ladybug Black-Out
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

The balcony was quiet.

Chat Noir slipped behind the chimney to look around the empty space on top of the Dupain-Cheng household. Odd, he thought. At this hour, Marinette should have been already up to greet him with hot chocolate and cookies.

They’d fallen into a routine recently, with Chat Noir visiting Marinette every Friday night after school. She already knew who he was under the mask, and he with her as well, making the visitations a lot more easier without the need to hide identities. She constantly welcomed his presence, popping up from the trapdoor with that cute pink blush in her cheeks. It was endearing.

But tonight, she was nowhere in sight. Yet, her room’s lights were on, so he took a step over the railing and slid down the roof to peep through a window.

At the corner of his eye, he saw her crouched in her seat, hugging her legs as she gazed blankly at her computer.

He frowned at the sight then tapped on the glass to get her attention. It took a few minutes before she finally looked in his direction. He made a gesture. Then, Marinette stood up and walked over to the window to let him into her room.

“Good evening, My Lady,” he greeted with a bow. The corner of Marinette’s mouth turned and he smiled back. “You seem a bit less…happy. What, may I ask, is bothering such a fine young woman at this hour?”

He could tell Marinette was struggling to keep her smile. But the twinkle was fleeting. Shuffling back to her desk, she sat down, gesturing to the two mugs of hot chocolate on the desk next to the picture frame containing a photo of them both. Then, she huddled motionlessly in front of the screen.

A pause of silence, and Chat Noir followed her, noticing the growing, bleary look in her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked her, tone more serious this time.

Marinette’s frown intensified before she pointed towards the screen. He followed it, then gaped when he saw what was being displayed on the browser.

Several of her designs were being offered by an unknown seller on Ebay.

He glared at them, then looked at Marinette. At first, he thought she had somehow been duped by a scamming buyer. He knew Marinette ran a small fashion blog where she would display some of her old designs for fun or as a way to document her growing skills as a fashion designer. It only had a small following, with less than two hundred people subscribed.

“Someone stole my designs,” she remarked bitterly.

Chat Noir, silent at her declaration, quickly took a mug of hot chocolate and handed it to Marinette, before draping the blanket that was hanging at the back of her chair on her. She closed herself in, wordlessly thanking her partner and taking a sip.

“Can you report them?” Adrien suggested. “I’m sure the website has stuff you can use to deal with these kinds of….copyright infringements was it? Dad said stuff about that sometimes.”

Marinette nodded. “Yeah, I tried to read about it. Seems doable. But to be honest, I’m not even sure what happened. I just posted those old dresses the other day and suddenly, while I was browsing through the different sellers here to look at their designs, I saw mine. It…this has never happened to me before.”

Her eyes were beginning to water and Chat Noir quickly detransformed to rub his warm hands gently on her shoulders without the cool leather separating their contact. The gesture triggered a flow of tears from her eyes. 

“And this guy’s not the only one who took my photos,” she bit down a sob. “I was on Instagram and I saw the images of my designs on some obscure fashion profile. I tried to tell them they were mine but they…either ignored my messages or just shut me down, saying if it was online, it was free to take.”

By the time she finished her sentence, she was gripping her blanket so tightly the impression of her fingers could be seen underneath. Her mug was near empty. With a sigh, Adrien began to pat her softly on her head and rubbed some of the stray tears from her eyes.

“I’ve heard of things like this happening and I’m scared," she continued. "I mean, I know these are my original designs, but then what if I decide to share them with like..your dad or someone of equal merit and they say I took these off of someone else cuz they saw them on some magazine? Or a fashion website? Or-”

Adrien tried to take in all that she was saying but now, Marinette was rambling. A habit of hers whenever she was under stress, he had grown used to it especially since she would do it in front of him before they became close friends. He gripped her shoulders to calm her down.

“-all of this in one night-”

“-Marinette,” he interrupted.

She paused and looked at him.

“It’s going to be ok, bugaboo,” he tried to emphasize her nickname to add more comfort. “You’re fine. If you want, I can even tell my dad about this. He’ll know more about what to do.”

Marinette nodded at him, before he chose to continue.

“I...I’ve seen other occasions of this sort of thing happening. I once read some Tumblr articles-yes, they were legit-about how to deal with...I suppose you can call it theft. It’s possible to get rid of them since you’re the real owner of those designs.”

“I know,” she nodded again. “I...actually reported those on Ebay already. Since it’s clear they were trying to earn using someone else’s work, which is obviously against Ebay’s terms.”

She tried to laugh.

“It’s just stressful, I’m so sorry, Adrien,” she said, shaking her head. “It was so much to take in. I was getting ready for your arrival when I saw all of it. My parents don’t know yet, but I don’t want to worry them…”

Adrien quirked an eyebrow curiously but let her finish.

“...they’ve warned me of issues happening on the Internet, like predators and identity thieves, but I don’t want to give them more reason not to trust that I know what I’m doing by running a fashion blog.”

With that, Adrien frowned again. “Did you already report those on Instagram?”

Marinette shook her head.

“Then,” he began as he took her hand in his. “Let me take care of that for you.”

With that, he grabbed another desk chair and sat next to her, gently pushing her on her chair away so that he was facing the computer directly but kept her close. Clicking on one of the Instagram posts, he began to type out a message.

“Wait,” Marinette told him before he could hit send.

“Hm?”

“You’re writing that as me,” she pointed out.

“Oh, whoops,” Adrien laughed.

Quickly, he logged off before signing in with his Chat Noir account. Finding the post again, he rewrote his message then clicked on the paper plane icon to send it as a comment.

The only thing they could next do was wait.


	2. Response

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, my first multi-chapter fic! Have Chapter Two! Featuring, my first attempt to write Alya as a character.
> 
> Before I go on, I would like to thank @wintermoth for providing a comprehensive guide to content etiquette and how to deal with art/fic theft, found here:
> 
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/143601777792/get-consent-kids  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/147201128992/reposted-art-and-you-a-guide-for-the-rest-of-the  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/155751961792/my-art-got-stolen-now-what-a-guide-for-artists

“Anything?”

Marinette huddled over Adrien as he scrolled through his feed, looking for the fashion account he’d tried to contact. Multiple images of her designs were stacked into one post, and he’d written a respectful comment asking that they take it down.

When he found it, he saw the message had gone unanswered. He shook his head then glanced at Marinette.

“Nothing,” he sighed. 

Marinette frowned before walking around his couch to plop herself next to him and leaned back against his shoulder. Around them, the room was quiet save for the occasional bird chirp and the sound of a car passing by. Nino and Alya were scheduled to arrive at Adrien’s place within the hour for an afternoon of video games and movies, as much as Gabriel would allow for his son at least. 

“Did you tell Alya about this?” Adrien asked her in a whisper, breaking the silence.

Marinette shook her head. “Not yet, I would rather not worry her about this. You know how she can get. She runs the Ladyblog for crying out loud.”

Adrien held back a chuckle and snorted instead. “You’re right,” he said. “I’ve seen too many Internet arguments that could have been started by her.”

Marinette laughed before drooping her head. 

“You feeling all right, Mari?” 

“Yeah, I just couldn’t sleep that well last night, that’s all,”

Adrien didn’t reply, instead frowning at his phone. Suddenly, it vibrated.

Marinette sat up and leaned over to see the notification. The account owner had answered.

Adrien quickly opened up to the application on his phone and read the reply.

 

**_'fashionlover_flower555_ ** _ I just found it on the Internet, twat. Don’t like, don’t comment. Now gtfo before I block you, you fake Chat Noir >:(' _

 

“Wow, that was so rude,” Adrien grumbled under his breath. Marinette’s frown intensified and she cracked a few of her fingers underneath her hand. 

“Can’t believe they didn’t believe you were the real Chat Noir,” Marinette said, trying inject as much humor as she could despite the anger beginning to bubble inside her. “I mean it’s right there on your profile!”

He let out a small chuckle while thumbing his screen. Pausing, he looked straight ahead then let out a breath. “Well, I guess now we can-”

His words were interrupted when a screech that sounded awfully like a good morning filled the air.

“How are my most awesome friends and boyfriend?” Alya howled, bursting into the room. Then, she looked around as the secretary escorting her left her presence. “Oh, Nino not here yet?”

Marinette shook her head while Adrien waved back at her.

“Hey Alya,” they responded in unison.

“Aw, talking at the same time! How cute,” she said, grinning at Marinette, who proceeded to flush while Adrien chuckled. “How are you guys? Week didn’t kill ya both?”

Snuggling defiantly against Adrien’s shoulder, Marinette pouted and shook her head, earning another chortle from her best friend.

“Nah, homework wasn’t too bad this time,” Adrien replied, before glancing back at the twin-tailed girl curled next to him. His eyes held a silent question and Marinette raised an eyebrow, nose hidden against his side. With a subtle sigh, she nodded against his shoulder and Adrien mentally fought back the blood flowing into his cheeks.

“Actually, Alya, we’re kinda dealing with something right now,” Adrien admitted as he turned to her.

The blogger quirked an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Adrien gestured to her to come closer, and Alya followed until she hunched over the couch, peeking over Adrien’s shoulder after he regarded his phone again. “What’s up?”

“Well…,” Marinette began, taking her face off her partner’s shoulder.

“-Wait.” Alya squinted at Adrien’s phone, spotting the photo. “Isn’t that your dress?” she asked incredulously.

“Yeah…”

“And I’m pretty sure your account name  _ isn’t _ fashionlover_flower555, right?” Marinette caught Alya’s deadset eyes on her. Sitting up, she nodded dejectedly before opening her mouth to speak.

“Someone took my photos and posted them on their profile.”

“Did they ask permission?”

Marinette shook her head. 

Alya narrowed her eyes, once again appraising the phone screen. Marinette watched her friend huff in place, lips moving as she read the harsh comment. A quick smile told her she’d seen the plea from “Real_Chat_Noir” before she cursed wordlessly under her breath. Next to her, Marinette could see a drop of sweat making its way down her partner’s neck _._

“At least it seems like one of your followers is defending you,” Alya remarked with a grin as she straightened up. “That ‘Real_Chat_Noir’ guy seems nice.”

Adrien choked, the noise cutting into the air while a nervous laughter nearly escaped Marinette’s lips. Back straightened up against the couch, she stifled a nervous giggle.

“Yeah! It’s great, isn’t it?” Adrien said, after he caught his breath.

 “I’m surprised you’re not exploding on the spot,” Marinette pointed out with more nervous laughter. “I mean, you’re passionate about social media and everything.”

Alya cackled then peered at her with steady eyes.

“Hey, no one messes with my Mari and gets away with it. And right now, it doesn’t look like it, but I am _ seething _ . I’m just controlling myself at the moment, but I’ll rage to you all about that later, how does that sound?” 

Marinette could only curl her lip and nod.

“Now, let’s report this guy.” Alya pumped her fist in the air before taking her own phone to, as Marinette would guess, shoot a quick text message to Nino.

“Do you even know how to deal with this?” Adrien asked her, turning in his spot. 

“What do you take me for, Lover-boy? Of course!,” Alya exclaimed, giving them a wink. “I had to brush up on all that stuff about copyright midway through running the Ladyblog thinking it would be good if I did. You never know when some hackjob decides to...muck things up?”

Adrien stammered at his words, face turning a bright red at Alya’s playful nickname. “Wow….uh...thinking..ahead right?” 

Meanwhile, Marinette shoved a pillow into her face and groaned.

“I can take care of this,” her friend announced.

After peeking up, Marinette regarded her friend in amusement. “You’d do the honors?”

“Anything for my best friend. Oh, actually,” she turned to Adrien, snapping her finger. “I’m going to need your computer.”

“O-oh! Of course, right this way!” Quickly getting up, he escorted Alya from behind, a pink hue in his face, but she immediately skipped ahead and flashed a heart shape with her hands at him without Marinette seeing. Adrien wished he hide further into his shirt. Now, a shade of red deeper than Ladybug’s suit, swore he could hear Plagg snickering up at the loft and he darted his eyes towards that part of the room in a glare. Marinette ambled behind him.

“Now you don’t need to be signed in to do this,” she began as she dropped into his seat. “I’m going to need your information for-”

Alya paused as the two friends drew nearer to the desk.

“-oh wait, I already have it!”

Marinette looked curiously as Adrien put a hand on the back of the chair and pulled at his collar with the other.

“Y-You know, you don’t have to go out of your way to-,”

“-Nonsense,” she interrupted him. “As much as this sucks, there’s no need. I wasn’t called Lady Wifi for no reason.”

Catching Marinette’s eye, Adrien shrugged his shoulders. He felt a nudge at his arm and leaned forward, typing in the password to access his account. 

“Uh, Alya?” Marinette called as her friend pulled up an empty browser window with a click.

“Yes?”

“Hm..can I do it?”

“Seriously, Mari, it’s fine, you really don’t need to-”

“-I want to learn.”

The report form for Instagram appeared on the browser.

“Wait, Marinette, but didn’t you already send reports through Ebay,” Adrien pointed out. “I’m sure it’s the same thing.”

“It’s my design, I should do this,” Marinette pouted. “Besides, the one in Ebay was quick. This looks a lot longer.”

Alya blinked owlishly at her before she got up with.

“All right, Marinette,” Alya sighed. “Here, we can run it through together, it shouldn’t take too long.”

She nodded, giving her best friend a grateful smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone asked in a previous comment what my personal experiences have been regarding this issue. I do have firsthand experience as someone who has had their work reposted. My friends have also had similar and sometimes even worse ones.
> 
> In today's chapter, we see a reposter responding rudely to a nice comment asking for an image to be taken down. Now, this has never happened to me but it has happened to several of my friends already and it scares me how people can act so disrespectfully behind a screen. What fashionlover_flower555 has done is just one type of many negative messages artists and writers alike have encountered after they message a reposter, from words that appear kind but laced with defiance, to outright outrage and insults, to even backhanded comments *about* them. Many times, even when a reposter has said they will be respectful and take down the image, they never get around to doing it, leaving an artist with the unsureness as to whether or not they're to ask them again, ignore or report.
> 
> A lot of people believe it's the responsibility of content owners to approach reposters nicely and ask them to take them down. No, it's not. Based on personal experience with the Pokemon Company and Zag Entertainment, I would say property owners will almost never directly message a copyright infringer asking to take a post down. A couple of Pokemon stickers and ML prints that I'd posted on Redbubble were taken down without my prior notice, not even a "Hey, can you please remove it?". While the selling of fan-art or publishing commercial fanfiction is a whole another issue that I won't discuss, the point is, no one should expect content owners to approach an infringer first about removing re-uploaded content. 
> 
> Ever since I began seeing people react against content owners who go out of their way to respectfully ask to have something taken down, I've held onto a "Report first, answer questions later" policy. It's strict but I don't want to risk having a rude message appear after I ask someone to remove a repost. Plus, it leaves me a potential opportunity to educate without the risk of getting blocked, if someone approaches me asking why their post was taken down.
> 
> Suffice to say, not all have responded so nicely to my reports and I had a few cases where a Youtuber would incessantly message me asking to remove a copyright strike. In my opinion, best thing to do is to communicate with respect and care, never with sheer anger, no matter how seemingly justified it is. Just remember that even if a credit owner doesn’t ask and you keep a reposted work up, you are 100% liable to be reported, properly credited or not because you do not own the work.
> 
> TL;DR don’t be rude and respect a content creator’s wishes. They had no real obligation to even ask you in the first place.
> 
> P.S. I hope no one is actually named fashionlover_flower555 because if there is, I am so sorry and that made-up name was just a total coincidence. 
> 
> For additional information on copyright particularly with fanfiction, please visit these websites (thank you to @sarahcada for providing them!)
> 
> https://debmcalister.com/2013/04/28/copyright-myths-from-the-world-of-fan-fiction/  
> https://www.standoutbooks.com/fan-fiction-legal/


	3. Respite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is full of firsts! My first multi-chapter fic, my first time to write Alya and now, my first time to write DJWifi.  
> Hope you enjoy! 
> 
> However, do take note this chapter became quite self-indulgent by the end and does include a fair amount Adrienette interactions. Be warned :P
> 
> Just continue to remember what this fic is meant for. Remember that because of art theft, we have already lost many great people in the fandom.
> 
> As a last thing, here are the websites I provided in the previous chapter in case you missed it, as well some additional websites that I've read through:)
> 
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/143601777792/get-consent-kids  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/147201128992/reposted-art-and-you-a-guide-for-the-rest-of-the  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/155751961792/my-art-got-stolen-now-what-a-guide-for-artists  
> https://debmcalister.com/2013/04/28/copyright-myths-from-the-world-of-fan-fiction/  
> https://www.standoutbooks.com/fan-fiction-legal/  
> http://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/what-is-fair-use/  
> http://protectart.deviantart.com/journal/The-Art-Theft-Discussion-544490149 (Topic on Protection discusses art ownership on the Internet)

Staring at the screen, Marinette watched as Alya opened up a browsing tab and entered in Marinette’s blog address. A few seconds of searching, and the original copy and post of Marinette’s dress design appeared at the center of the website.

Alya stood up, offering Marinette her seat. Taking it, she sat down, not noticing the glint Alya had given Adrien behind her. 

“Ok, so I’m looking at the form and this seems simple enough, right?”

Both Alya and Adrien hummed in agreement. “Yep,” Alya affirmed. “You just have to fill all of that out and then you’re set.”

“Why did you open up my blog too?”

“You’re going to need proof to show that you’re the actual owner of the picture,” Alya pointed out. “And since we’re on Adrien’s computer, we can’t upload the file, though that’s more of an optional thing anyway.”

“But the post has several images on it, won’t we need all of them?”

Alya shrugged. “Yeah, probably. It would be safer that way. But even just one image in the entire post could have it taken down, potentially. I don’t know. My fan-artist friends have told me a bit of their experiences. There’s apparently an option there specifically for artwork.”

“You have fan-artist friends?” Adrien asked. “What or who do they draw?”   
  
“Who do you think?” She threw him a wink.

Marinette felt her lips purse together before glancing back at Adrien who only gave her a wince. The red had returned to his face.

“Nothing bad, don’t worry. My blog has rules,” Alya laughed before turning her attention back to the screen. “Now, just fill these out and you’re good to go!”

With a nod, Marinette began typing, entering in the different pieces of information. She paused at one of them, narrowing her eyes with a hum before resuming her task, copying and pasting site addresses as the form required. Alya and Adrien watched in silence until she finally filled out the online signature box, declaring that all information was honest, correct, and accurate.

She turned to Alya. “Is this fine?”

Her friend leaned forward, taking the mouse and scrolling back up before skimming over the filled-out information. “Yeah, I think this is good. But, do you have another email?”

Marinette frowned. “Uh, yeah. Oh, this one I’m using is mainly for my fashion blog. I have another one for more official things.

“Way to think ahead, Mari,” Alya congratulated her.

“Uh, is this going on my permanent record?”

“Huh?”

“Like, will the government go after me if the guy says I’m lying?”

Alya gaped, causing Adrien to grimace at the suggestion before looking worriedly at Marinette, who seemed to be holding her breath.

“O-of course not! Besides, you’re confident this is yours! No worries, it won’t be an issue, I swear,” Alya laughed, scratching her head. “I mean, yeah this is legal and everything so all the info you gave has to be truthful and will be saved but I wouldn’t be worried.

Marinette looked thoughtfully at her, before sighing and hitting send. Automatically, the website redirected her to a previous page while her phone, still on the couch, vibrated against the cushions.

She rushed out of the seat and threw herself onto the couch to grab the phone, only to pout after reading it.

“Marinette?”

“It was just a confirmation email,” she sighed, laying her arm over her eyes when she twisted in place. Following her, Adrien leaned over from above, shooting her a quick smile and kind eyes when Marinette peeked out to look at him. She returned the gesture with a shy grin.

Alya cleared her throat, prompting Adrien to whirl around. “Well, it will take a bit of time before Instagram can respond,” she clarified.

“Yeah, I figured,” Marinette remarked as she sat up.

Adrien eyed her. “So now what?”

“Now, we wait! I’m sure it wouldn’t be too long. They usually respond within 24 hours-”

A knock.

All heads turned in surprised before Alya bounded to the door to open it for their visitor.

Nino stood at the doorway, grinning and waving before taking off his cap and giving Alya a quick kiss on the cheek. The room filled with a mixing of greetings as their friend came inside.

“Sup, my dude?” he said, bumping fists with Adrien when he made his way across the floor with Alya trailing behind him.

“Not much actually,” Adrien answered. “Just uh...computer stuff.”

“Oh, it was not just computer stuff,” Alya corrected him while placing a hand on her hip. Nino turned to her with a questioning look.

“Marinette had her designs stolen!”

“What?! Where-Mari-how...what-wait, did you call the cops?” Nino panicked.

“No, no there’s no need,” Alya answered for her. “We took care of it already.”

“Ah, but how?”

“Oh you know, report forms and all that. I’ll fill you in a bit.”

Nino quirked an eyebrow before regarding Marinette.

“Wait, but how are you doing, Marinette?”

With that question in the air, her forehead puckered and Marinette noticed the way Adrien had inched closer to her almost protectively. “I’m fine,” she replied to him, hoping she hadn’t pause for too long. “A bit stressful, but I trust Alya.” 

As if on cue, her friend smirked then proceeded to pat her on the head.

“Well, then I’ll take your word for it. Just sucks that it happened though, hope that guy gets what’s coming to them.” 

“Mhmm.”

Silence hung over them for a few seconds afterward. Sensing a need to change the subject, Adrien hurriedly strode over to his desk again.

“Come on, guys,” he exclaimed as he picked up the video game case. “Why don’t we play some Ultimate Mecha Strike III?”

All three nodded with an excited yes. 

***

The rest of the afternoon elapsed with no more major interruptions. At some point, the group had moved on from Ultimate Mecha Strike III and divided the rest of time between a considerably lengthy game of Dance, Dance Revolution (which Alya had unabashedly won every time she took the stage) and watching the most recent installment of the X-men movie series. By the end of the film, Marinette had tears welling up in her eyes and she attempted to wipe them off before anyone had noticed.

Of course, to her little luck, one of them did.

Adrien poked her on the side as the credits began to roll on the screen, earning a quiet yelp that grabbed even Alya and Nino’s attention from where they sat on the floor in front of them. Outside, the sun was slowly making its way beneath the horizon, decorating the sky with colorful shades of red and orange that gave the rest of the city an atmosphere of cool warmth. With no one speaking, Alya and Nino turned back to their own conversation while Marinette blushed, refusing to look at her partner when he poked her again.

“Sad, bugaboo?” he whispered jokingly to her out of earshot.

Pouting, she stuck out her tongue. “Well, I mean yeah, shouldn’t I be? This was Hugh Jackman’s last hurrah as Wolverine.”

A stray tear was swiftly wiped off with her borrowed blanket.

“I didn’t think you’d be so invested,” Adrien chuckled lightly. “Thought you were a DC fan.”

“Not of the movies,” Marinette grumbled, pulling herself further in the covers. “Though Wonder Woman’s an exception.”

“Hah, true. I enjoyed that one.”

“Well, you should’ve,” she reminded him. “I had to practically drag you out of the house that weekend after you wouldn’t even come on patrols with me thanks to the exams.”

“Hey, by the time you did, I knew a reward was needed.” 

Adrien stretched out his arms and legs as he felt a yawn come, careful to avoid his friend in front. 

“That was a nice date, huh?”

Marinette squeaked, then glanced at Alya to make sure she hadn’t heard his question or her vocal reaction.

Noticing her sudden discomfort, Adrien leaned to the side, brushing shoulders with her.

“You didn’t tell her about our...date?” he asked, whispering into her ear.

“W-well, y-you know Alya!” By this time, Marinette was blushing furiously and she thanked the sun for casting its hue to disguise the color in cheeks. “It’s on a need-to-know basis at the moment, and she’d freak if I ever said anything.”

Adrien lifted his eyebrow but allowed her to continue. Leaning up, Marinette hovered her lips just an inch over his ear.

“Besides, we were Ladybug and Chat Noir at the time,” she whispered to him. “Would’ve been messy, don’t you think?”

Adrien took a breath before he sighed. “Yeah, I suppose it would. Though I’m pretty sure she’s under the pretense we’re already together.”

Marinette grimaced. But he had a point. Knowing Alya and her observational prowess, it was more or less obvious to her friend about the status of their..unspoken relationship. There was nothing to be ashamed of anyway, Marinette thought, so why was she still having a hard time giving it a-.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone vibrated loudly against the coffee table that had been moved to her side of the couch.

All three friends turned to look as Marinette took the phone and began thumbing the screen. An email appeared at the top of the list, with the subject heading “No Reply” labeled at its beginning. Immediately, she opened her email app and caught the name of the sender.

It was Instagram. 

She scanned the message as Adrien looked over her shoulder while Nino and Alya stared up in suspense. Slowly, a smile appeared on her face and she let out a loud whoop, almost knocking Adrien over.

“They took it down!” she cried.

Immediately, cheers rang through the room. Nino clapped his hands while Marinette bounced in her seat, tempted to stand up and lay inevitable footprints all over the otherwise immaculately clean couch.

“See Mari?” Alya began as she stood up. “Told you everything would be all right.”

“Yeah! Thank you so much, Alya. I’ll remember all of that next time it happens.”

“Hey, it could’ve been Googled, but my friend was in need,” her friend winked at her. “Now I just hope it never happens again.”

Marinette nodded before turning to Nino, who tipped his hat at her. She looked at Adrien. He was beaming.

As Alya dusted herself off, her own phone began to ring, an 16-bit tone of a Jagged Stone jingle. Pulling Nino up, she rummaged through her purse before picking it up. Her face suddenly morphed into a frown.

All three stood up, passing worried looks to each other before Alya waved them off. After several seconds, she took the phone off her ear.

“Don’t fret guys, it was just my mom. Said I should be heading home now for dinner time. And you three are apparently invited.”

Various “oh’s” echoed throughout the room.

“Wait, Alya, babe. Seriously? That’s the first time your mom has invited me to anything.”

“We haven’t exactly been dating awhile, hun,” Alya snipped playfully. “She wants to get to know ya.”

At that, Nino blushed.

“I’ll take that as a “you’re coming?” she asked him.

Nino shrugged with a smile. “Sure!”

“Sorry, Alya,” Adrien started. “But I’ll have to pass. I had to convince my dad to let all three of you into the house and that was hard enough. I don’t think he’ll let me out of the house at this hour.”

Alya eyed him but didn’t question his words. Marinette, on the other hand-

-she was brushing a pig-tail frantically with her fingers as her eyes darted from side to side.

“What about you, Marinette?” Alya asked, causing Marinette to yelp.

“W-well, actually, haha, funny you ask cuz,” At that Marinette felt herself go crimson. “...Adrien asked me to stay for dinner before you guys came.”

Both eyebrows arched up. Nino stiffened. Adrien bit his lip.

Then, Alya squinted her eyes at her.

“She’s not lying, you know,” Adrien made sure to confirm.

Silence, then-

“Wow,” Alya let out a breath. “This is new. Yet, for some reason, I am not surprised.”

“You’re not?”

A sly grin quickly took the place on her friend’s lips. “Hey, I mean, if this means I get to spend time with Nino alone...relatively speaking, by all means! I’m sure he’ll be fine without Adri-bud, won’t you?” she said, turning to her boyfriend.

“Ah-haha-...yeah,” Nino stammered. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

Adrien shot him a grateful look, to which Nino threw his own back at him.

“Well,” Alya said as she checked her watch. “I guess it’s time to go. Nino?”

With a chuckle, Nino picked up his things, while Alya started making her way to the door of the room, briefly giving Marinette a winking smile in her direction.

“Thanks for all of this, Adrien, we really appreciate it. And good luck, Marinette,” Alya waved at her as she disappeared into the hallway, Nino trailing behind her.

“Good night bro,” he called out as Adrien waved back.

The door slammed shut, sending an echo across the room, followed by a deafening silence. 

The two stood awkwardly next to each other as Plagg emerged from his spot up in the loft with Tikki in tow. He flew down to Adrien, demanding his usual cheese, of which his ward begrudgingly pointed towards a stack next to his bed. Tikki, on the other hand, hovered over Marinette as she handed her a cookie, then flew towards where Plagg had gone in order to munch on their meals.

Then, Adrien stepped to the side and bowed, offering his hand up to her.

“So, my Lady... Dinner?”

Marinette was still blushing. But, now that they were alone without the risk of teasing from Alya  _ or _ Nino, she could feel calm beginning to drift through them. 

“W-why, thank you  _ chaton _ . But-?”

Adrien lifted his eyebrow.

“Why  _ did _ you ask me to stay for dinner? I thought you usually had dinner with your dad.”

Her partner looked questioningly at her. “Huh? Well, I mean we’re friends, aren’t we?”

She didn’t seem convinced by that.

“...all right,” Adrien shrugged, lowering his arm before Marinette could place her hand in his. “I...kinda wanted some company this time.”

Marinette’s face crinkled in concern. 

“My dad’s out of the country. Left this morning.”

“Oh,” Marinette exhaled.

“I mean it’s nothing new, I’m used to eating alone, but-,”

His sentence was interrupted as she laced her fingers in his. He looked up at her, pink dusting his cheeks. Marinette could feel her blush deepen but she shook the feeling away and gazed determinedly at her partner. Adrien gulped.

“I will be glad to join you,” she declared softly. “I think we both need a nice, quiet dinner.”

“Haha, bugaboo, after what you’ve been going through recently, you deserve it more than I do.”

She laughed. Then, taking her phone, she shot a text to her parents, letting them know where she was. Knowing them, they would’ve totally trusted her with eating at Adrien’s place, but Marinette kept the thought to herself.

“Well, shall we?” Adrien proposed, tugging her a bit.

Marinetted nodded.

As they made their way to the dining room, they saw that Nathalie already had the table prepped for the both of them. Adrien thanked the secretary as they walked past. The two settled into their seats as they began to make light conversation, carefully avoiding topics related to their nightly activities as superheroes. Soon, their meals had arrived. 

But as they fell deeper into their conversation, they failed to notice the black butterfly fluttering past the window and into lighted streets of Paris.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so this turned into a particularly self-indulgent chapter, but hopefully you guys were fine with the change of pace. Marinette needs a break after all and Adrien & co. are right there for her.
> 
> In today’s chapter, we learn the swiftness of Instagram’s dealings with copyright reports. Typically, we get responses within 24 to 48 hours, but some cases have lasted longer. Occasionally, I’d have Instagram take pieces down within the hour and sometimes after three days or more.
> 
> Because they’re official legal forms, private information tends to be required in order to submit them, including emails and addresses. You could potentially commit perjury if you provide false claims and/or information. However, trust that Instagram and other websites like Youtube deal with said information fairly and provide the infringer with a way to communicate with the reporter directly in order to sort things out afterward. Unfortunately, some people have used said-information to harass artists instead.
> 
> Both Instagram and Facebook currently operate under very similar copyright reporting processes. One of the things that Alya mentioned in this fic was that in filling out a copyright takedown form, artwork is an option provided as an infringement description. It’s true. I suppose it is one way Instagram has made it easier for artists to combat art theft. Aside from the photos and videos that Instagram is made specifically for, artwork is an option that artists can choose to describe the infringing piece (instead of using the inaccurate photo option)
> 
> This is exactly why no one that I know (including myself) has currently experienced a backfire of a copyright claim on Instagram, because it is our property that is being infringed on and it just so happened to be a very visual, very accessible thing. Artists have the full right to their artwork and their circulation. They own the files, which recently, Instagram and Facebook have included as an optional proof of ownership. Otherwise, artwork from their official blogs or websites is substantial enough.
> 
> It’s one reason why things are taken down so easily on those sites. Unfortunately it is not the same for others, as Youtube reports have occasionally been slapped with counter-notices against the copyright report, claiming fair use, despite the artists having full proof that the video is not transformative of the artwork and the artwork is being used without permission. That kind of system has frankly made dealing with art theft and non-permitted dubbing a lot harder than it is with Instagram or Facebook. 
> 
> Yes, copyright and fair use is a tricky thing but remember this, at least for Youtube. If you’re not parodying, criticizing or ridiculing the artwork or comic on the video, then you can’t consider it fair use, much less simply reuploading the same video or art onto to your channel.
> 
> Basically, if your purpose of re-uploading something is simply to get more hits on your account and nothing else, then just stop.


	4. Disappear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally. Guys, I'm sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out. I'll be honest. This has got to be one of my roughest writing ever. Consider this more like filler at this point.
> 
> Another first: Writing an akuma.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy and always remember.
> 
> This is in dedication to the ML Blackout (which is poised to end in less than a week!)

“Thank you for the meal, Nathalie,” Marinette chirped as she placed down her fork. Sitting up straight and poised, she took the towelette and wiped her mouth then place it at the side of her empty plate. “Please, give my compliments to your chef. It was wonderful!” 

The stoic secretary raised a curious eyebrow in Adrien’s direction, who simply shrugged behind Marinette. Sighing, Nathalie nodded at her with a weak smile before escorting herself out of the dining room.

“Why so formal?” Adrien asked once she was out of earshot. 

“I was having some fun!” Marinette said as two housemaids made their way into the dining room. “Maybe practice for the future one of these days?”

Adrien gulped. “The future?” 

“You know, like in parties and stuff with waiters. If I start attending those things, I have to practice my poise right?”

He laughed, a bit more high-pitched than he had intended. But no more words could come to him.

They sat there in silence for several long seconds.

“So," Adrien finally started. "I guess you should be going home now right?”

“Probably. Are you trying to get rid of me?” Marinette quirked an eyebrow.

In response, a characteristic Chat Noir smirk appeared on Adrien’s lips and he stood up. “Of course not. You know me better than that, My Lady.”

Nothing could help the pink tinging her cheeks as he stepped closer to her and too her hand.

“Shall we?”

She flashed him a smile.

***

The streets were quiet as Marinette and Adrien made their way back to the Dupain-Cheng bakery only a few blocks from the mansion. Few cars drove by as nearby stragglers hurried back to their homes, many who’d been visibly frightened of the hulking gorilla of a man trailing just a few steps behind the pair. 

“So, I guess everything’s just fine now!” She remarked, digging her hands into her sweater pockets.

Adrien smirked without looking at her and gave her an affirmative hum right as they turned the final corner. The bakery stood just several meters away.

“Nathalie insisted on taking your bodyguard with us?” Marinette whispered, quickly glancing back at the man who merely grunted then winked at her. At least, that’s what it had looked like.

“Hey, it’s not so bad,” Adrien shrugged. “Besides, as long as I got to walk you home, right?”

Marinette blushed at the question. “Y-yeah! This is...really nice.”

Grinning, they walked the remaining steps in silence. The moon was out, bathing the streets and the park with an ethereal glow. Taking a chance, Adrien glanced at his companion, who was busy shuffling around her purse for her keys. He could see Tikki, the ladybug kwami, peek up from a pocket inside. She winked at him, before diving back into the pocket, leaving Adrien to flush slightly. As they reached the back entrance to the bakery, Marinette finally pulled out her keys and unlocked the door, unaware of her friend's fluster. 

She turned to regard him.

“Thank you for all this, Adrien,” she said, beaming at him. 

"Hey, it was nothing. What are friends for?"

"I mean, with that guy posting my stuff and everything, I didn't overreact too much, did I?"

"Nah," Adrien scratched the back of his head nervously. "It's new and we both were shocked. You're fine."

"And I guess we have to thank Alya."

"Yep, her too."

A pause.

Seconds ticked by. 

Adrien's body guard cleared his throat.

"So! I'll see you later?" Marinette squeaked.

“Yeah, just like we agreed!” 

“Agreed?”

“Uh, you know,” Adrien’s voice dropped to a whisper. “-later, around 10pm?” 

“Oh, right,” Marinette whispered back, making sure the bodyguard who was tapping his foot on the sidewalk wouldn’t hear them. “The Eiffel Tower?”

“Eiffel Tower,” he echoed after her. Then, in a surge of bravery, he took a deep breath and leaned forward. His lips pecked Marinette's cheek, turning her scarlet.

Fighting the hot air within her, she yelped then hunched over, clamping her mouth shut. Adrien chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder, only to slide it off as he walked away with the body guard, waving at her.

Marinette stood there waving back at him in a daze.

 ***

Later that night, Chat Noir landed squarely on the metal beam of the Eiffel Tower just as Ladybug’s yoyo returned to its spot on her hip. The red-clad hero turned on her heel to regard her partner with a tilt of her head.

“Good evening, My Lady,” he greeted with an exaggerated bow. “Long time no see!”

“Oh, Chat, there you are!” Her confident smile reached the sides of her face, despite the afternoon’s events that had occurred earlier. Though she couldn’t help the blush in her cheeks at the arrival of her partner. “Haven’t seen you in awhile!”

“Can you believe it’s been an hour? He began in a sing-song towards her. “This poor cat’s ready for a night out.”

Ladybug chuckled and gave her partner a ruffle on his hair, prompting him to let out a short growl of delight. “Come on,  _ minou, _ let’s get this patrol over with. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can just hang out. What do you think?”

“My Lady, you drive a hard bargain.”

With that, Ladybug poised to jump off the beam they’d stood on. But, just as she was about to leap, a figure flew up their side of the tower, knocking her off balance. Someone shouted in the distance above her, a bright blue light soon engulfing them. A second later, the light faded and the Eiffel Tower began to  _ shrink _ . 

Ladybug screamed at Chat Noir to jump right before the metal beam situated above them reached their heads. They dove down, and she grabbed her partner by the waist before twisting her neck almost painfully just to catch a glimpse of whoever it was up flying above them.

Sure enough, a figure floated against the bright light of the moon, laughing maniacally as the Eiffel Tower shrunk down to a figurine the size of a tumbler and landed in the palm of what looked obviously like an akuma. Chat Noir glanced in the same direction, before clicking his tongue and pointing his staff towards the ground. He extended the end and it hit the pavement with a loud crack, digging hard into the soil underneath and startling the passerby’s still out on their nightly activities. The impact sent shockwaves through their bodies but he gripped tightly despite the pain, pulling Ladybug in with his other hand. The friction from the metal against his glove felt like fire but he knew he wasn’t hurt. Yet, while superpowered suits didn’t burn, they couldn’t stop the shock as they landed violently onto the pavement with a loud thud. 

Taking less than a few seconds to recover, Ladybug got up, eyes trained at the sky. But the figure had disappeared, along with Paris’ most iconic monument. Around them, the few tourists and civilians were scrambling and yelling in confusion, pointing to the sky or staring at the two superheroes standing in the middle of the square. Some were crying out akuma, others were taking pictures of the empty lot.

Then, laughter broke out through the cacophony.

“Look here, all of you,” a voice rang through the crowd. “Look at this lovely thing I have!”

Then, a bubble appeared in the sky, showing them what looked like the Eiffel Tower at its full size in the glaze. But instead, a hand was propping it upright, with an eye covered by a bright blue mask behind it. Whoever the akuma was did not reveal themselves completely.

Suddenly, the bubble popped, and blue light burst through the city from above. Ladybug quickly shut her eyes and held Chat Noir’s head down on instinct, despite only mild intense rays. A part of her thanked herself, because as soon as she looked up, all the people around her continued to stare blankly at the sky where the bubble had been. Seconds later, they began to chant.

“Vitrine!”

“Vitrine!”

The voice boomed again but distinctly from a different location. “Yes, say my name! I will give you more! Do you want more?”

Cries of numerous yes’s and cheers.

“Then I will give you more!”

Chat Noir’s ear twitched. Raising his hand, he pointed a finger towards the direction of the sound and tugged Ladybug with him. With a nod and without a word, they raced to the source. Ladybug zipped along the rooftops, flying through the streets while her partner bolted after her, using his staff to make swift jumps and strides on top of the Parisian skyline. Soon enough, they found themselves in front of the Notre Dame, just a few blocks away from her home.

Blue light once again engulfed the sky, blinding the two superheroes for a short while. Then, just like the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame began to shrink in size, growing smaller and smaller until it too found its place in the akuma’s hands. 

The akuma roared, appearing like a dot as it soared over them with their prize in hand. As Ladybug had predicted, another bubble appeared in the air above the spot where the Notre Dame once stood.

“See guys?” the akuma cried out, holding a miniature Notre Dame on their hand. “I have such a lovely collection, don’t you think?” 

The Eiffel Tower was placed next to the newly miniaturized landmark.

Ladybug pulled Chat Noir down to her level. “Can you see where she’s at?”

Chat Noir squinted. “Sorry, bugaboo. Not yet. I can barely make out anything in the bubble.” Then, he yawned. “Can’t believe this akuma decided to attack now of all times.”

“We need to figure out where she’s hiding or else we’ll never stop her!” Ladybug cried, as they turned away from the light after the bubble burst. All around them, the people began chanting just as they’d done by the Eiffel Tower.

“How will we find the akuma?” Chat Noir asked.

“Just...follow her I guess. I’ll figure it out.”

And with that, Ladybug and Chat Noir hurried to the next landmark where they’d last heard the akuma’s voice. But by the time they’d arrived, it was too late. The pyramid of the Louvre was gone. And for the next few hours, the superheroes ran around in vain as landmark after landmark was shrunken down to size and taken into the hands of the akuma, and more and more people became blind to their surroundings, attentions trained on the invisible akuma. 

Soon, the entire city was left without its precious monuments.

Ladybug landed on a rooftop, panting as Chat Noir made his way over the gap between buildings. She lay a hand on his shoulder. Around them, people cheered for the so-called Vitrine. Many of the Parisian citizens awoke in the chaos, looking for whoever it was they cheered for. But the akuma was nowhere in sight. 

Her eyes wavered as exhaustion began to seep into her limbs. It was late, way too late for them to be running around the city of Paris. She collapsed on one knee, and Chat Noir moved in to support her. 

“What are we going to do,  _ chaton _ ?” she muttered under her breath. Out of all the akumas she had faced, this had been by far the most exhausting, their current circumstances not helping in their situation. Already tired, and yet she had not once laid a finger on the akuma, much less even seen them up close.

“I don’t know, My Lady. Our chances of success are looking quite paw-ful tonight.”

“Y-You can pun at this hour?”

“I try not to make our little..state of affairs seem so dire, bugaboo,” he puffed out. “But, I gotta admit, this is tiring. I’m just glad they’re not gunning for our-”

“LADYBUG. CHAT NOIR.”

“-and I spoke too soon.”

Suddenly, a figure swooped up in front of them before hovering over the ledge of the roof. Glowing eyes leered into theirs, a dark smirk appearing on the akuma’s face. Moonlight flowed through the edges of their suit, the details masked by shadow.

“Looks like your miraculous are the only things left that I need for my collection,” the akuma declared with a devilish smile and a purple butterfly around their eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No lessons about reposting or art theft in this chapter, but here are the links provided once again for your benefit :)
> 
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/143601777792/get-consent-kids  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/147201128992/reposted-art-and-you-a-guide-for-the-rest-of-the  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/155751961792/my-art-got-stolen-now-what-a-guide-for-artists  
> https://debmcalister.com/2013/04/28/copyright-myths-from-the-world-of-fan-fiction/  
> https://www.standoutbooks.com/fan-fiction-legal/  
> http://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/what-is-fair-use/  
> http://protectart.deviantart.com/journal/The-Art-Theft-Discussion-544490149 (Topic on Protection discusses art ownership on the Internet)


	5. Glass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fight continues.
> 
> A shorter chapter :)

“So you’ve been building a collection?” Chat Noir retorted to the akuma. Around them, chants grew louder and louder as the people began to congregate around the building they stood on. Some coins were even tossed onto the roof.

“Haven’t you seen? All of these,” the akuma pulled out a glass box. Inside, all the miniature landmarks floated, suspended on nothing. “These people like me for this! I even get money!”

Sneering at them, the akuma sized them up. Bright eyes against a dark humanoid shadow, it seemed like the akuma was almost blending into the night like glass. Ladybug could make out their shape pretty easily but details were scarce. 

Narrowing her eyes, she cried, “You stole those monuments! You’ve brainwashed the citizens!”

“Oh please,” Vitrine guffawed. “Those people were dying to look at someone. I just helped them along! And those monuments were out in the open ripe for the taking! I mean come on, if they didn’t want it stolen, why would they build it out there in the first place?”

“Uh...well-”

“Silence!”

They flinched.

“To tell you the truth, Hawkmoth’s been asking for those little things you wear all night,” Vitrine shrugged, tossing the case up and down as if it wasn’t a glass box containing several monuments inside. “I told him I’d get to it as soon as I was done, but he finally forced me on this. Plus, if I failed, he says I’ll lose everything I’ve done so far, so-”

They set the case behind their back, Ladybug eyeing the action suspiciously. 

“-I’ll be taking those now!”

With that, Vitrine swooped toward them, aiming for Ladybug first. She dodged, but with fatigue hanging on her like a dark cloud, she found herself knocking against the wall with a rush of air.

“Ladybug!” Chat Noir cried out, ducking as Vitrine swiped near inches from his head. Throwing himself down, he kicked out, hitting the akuma squarely on the abdomen and forcing them against the railing. He hurried towards Ladybug, who had only started to recover from the impact. 

“We need that Lucky Charm, bugaboo.” He said, cupping her tired cheek in his hand. Her eyes fluttered, sleep clearly battling for her being. But, despite the daze, she spotted Vitrine behind her partner, who was readying themselves for another lunge. In a quick motion, she tore them both from the concrete just as Vitrine launched and slammed into the wall with a thud.

“Why aren’t you using your powers?” Ladybug taunted as she stood up, her knees almost buckling.

Vitrine grunted, then made a fist with their hand. “This was a lot easier before I started going for such tiny little things,” they complained. “Guess I’ll just keep you in one of these to get this over with.”

Then, they motioned in front of their chest, hands revolving around to form a bubble, just like the ones they had seen appear right after a landmark would vanish.

The akuma threw it in their direction, and Chat Noir made to push Ladybug out of the way just as the bubble engulfed him. 

“Chat Noir!” she screamed.

Immediately, Ladybug threw her yoyo up with a cry of “Lucky Charm” as Vitrine made to form another bubble. A small statue fell into her hands, and she realized it was a spotted replica of the Statue of Liberty. She quirked an eyebrow. What would she need a mini-monument for, when the akuma dashing for her had all of Paris’s landmarks in her grasp.

Then, she widened her eyes as a thought flew into her mind. She darted away, just as the bubble hit the pole behind her and popped with a flash of light.

Ladybug quickly made her way in front of the akuma, dangling the statue in hand.

“Maybe you can add one more to your collection?” she asked.

Vitrine gawked in her direction right as their hand came to rest on the bubble with Chat Noir in it. 

“You...where did you get that?”

“If you want it, you gotta ask permission first,” Ladybug yelled. 

“Give it to me!”

Vitrine lunged at her again, ignoring Chat Noir who was readying his hand for a Cataclysm in the bubble. A butterfly light appeared on Vitrine’s face, and Ladybug swore she could hear odd murmuring from Vitrine. 

Pulling out here yoyo, she moved aside as Vitrine zoomed past. She threw it out, latching onto the leg and yanking the akuma backwards until they were flying off the roof. They thumped against the sidewalk, right when Ladybug jumped out with whatever remaining strength she had left and perched herself on the akuma. Eyes focusing on the glass case, she smashed it with her fist.

“No!!” Vitrine wailed, as the monuments fell on the ground in a crash. But Ladybug’s attention zeroed in on the escaping black butterfly and she threw her yoyo, encasing it in its white light. She released it in a flash, its white wings fluttering against the dimming moonlight. 

Ladybug tossed the statue into the air and all the monuments were back in its rightful places and rightful sizes. Chat Noir stood behind her, free from the bubble confines.

But when they both turned around to focus the previously-akumatized victim, they opened their mouths in shock. Crouching on the ground in front of them was a girl no older than they were.

“Where-where am I?” she asked, taking in her surroundings in a panic. “Wait...N-no! Shoot!”

“Hey, hey, everything’s all right now,” Ladybug cajoled. “You’re in safe hands.”

“Wait, please I need to get home. If my mom sees what’s on my computer, she’ll kill me!”

She dropped her hand from where it had laid on the girl’s shoulder, a tugging feeling arising in her chest. Curiosity winning her over, Ladybug asked. “Wait, what happened?”

The girl frowned, eye-bags visible in the moonlight.  She muttered, lip trembling. “I-I..I got a copyright strike on my Instagram page.”

Ladybug held herself on the floor, hearing Chat Noir try to bite down a laugh. By then, their miraculous were both beeping and down to three minutes left, oddly faster than normal. 

“A...strike?”

“Yeah...well…,” the girl shook her head violently before looking fixedly at the hero in front of her. “Some..guy calling himself the real Chat Noir accused me of stealing when I really wasn’t! But then...later on, I got an email saying my post was taken down without so much as a warning!”

“I suppose that’s when the akuma popped in,” Chat Noir suggested, with a finger on his chin. He glanced at his partner then regarded the girl again. “By the way, kid,” he smiled softly at the girl. “That was me.”

Ladybug gaped at him, but all Chat Noir did was shrug. The girl blanched.

“You’re...you’re  _ that _ Chat Noir? The one who...that comment?”

He nodded, earning a darting glare from his partner. “The one and only. I was helping out a friend!”

“...oh gosh, wait, Ladybug, are _you_  the owner of those designers?”

She winced, glowering at Chat Noir, who quickly realized what he’d done and made a zipping motion with his mouth. Thinking fast, she shrugged her shoulders. 

“A friend, as Chat Noir said. But, you know-,” a yawn escaped her mouth, ”-I think this is a conversation we can all have later. What do you say, Chat?”

“Well,” he turned to the girl, who eyed them expectantly but was visibly struggling to keep her head up. “This cat definitely needs a long nap after what we went through, so maybe that’s a good idea.”   
  
One more minute left. The crowd that had swarmed their building under the akuma's influence were now approaching them. The girl turned, spotting her mother in the fray and immediately made to get up. But the effects of being akumatized lingered and she fell back once more, seated on the pavement.

“Hey, kiddo,” Chat Noir purred as he dropped to a squat in front of the girl, out of earshot from the incoming crowd. “How about this? Let’s meet up somewhere so we can talk. Clearly this involves at least the two of us and I’d love to just settle things nice and easy. I mean, if it’s not too much trouble.”

For seconds that lasted longer than Chat Noir felt comfortable with, the girl simply stared back at them then nodded. The warning beeps for the impending de-transformation rang and Ladybug held out her yoyo, flinging out in a rush, careful to avoid the people around them. Chat Noir, panicked look in his eyes, spun on his heel, before quickly regarding the girl again.

“Meet us at the Dupain-Cheng bakery at 4pm sharp tomorrow...later! Bring a friend if you must!” he cried out as he leapt after his partner over and into a nearby alleyway. Flashes of light glinted from the shadows unnoticed, and Marinette and Adrien quickly made it back to their homes on foot. 

It was a good thing tomorrow was a Sunday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, the whole akuma part was the biggest struggle so far in writing this fic. I hope I did ok but I plan on hopefully finishing this whole thing by the time the blackout ends. :)
> 
> And actually, I didn't really consider how the akuma was going to look like completely so I tried to keep it vague.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Here are all the links again :)  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/143601777792/get-consent-kids  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/147201128992/reposted-art-and-you-a-guide-for-the-rest-of-the  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/155751961792/my-art-got-stolen-now-what-a-guide-for-artists  
> https://debmcalister.com/2013/04/28/copyright-myths-from-the-world-of-fan-fiction/  
> https://www.standoutbooks.com/fan-fiction-legal/  
> http://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/what-is-fair-use/  
> http://protectart.deviantart.com/journal/The-Art-Theft-Discussion-544490149 (Topic on Protection discusses art ownership on the Internet)


	6. Meeting (Pt. 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to meet the akuma, well, sort of.

“You think they’re going to show up?”

Adrien bounced the rubber ball against the wall, catching it before turning to Marinette, who sat straddling against the back of her desk chair. His question hung in the air.

“Oh, I dunno,” she muttered with a flip of her hand. ”...You’re the one who almost let slip that Marinette Dupain-Cheng was Ladybug. Do  _ you  _ think they’re going to show up?”

Her partner pursed his lips with a deadpan look and threw the ball again as he lay in her chaise. It was one in the afternoon, both Adrien and Marinette having slept till almost noon thanks to the late night akuma battle. Fortunately for her, Tom and Sabine had not minded her sleeping so far into the day. Adrien, on the other hand, was up and on Marinette’s balcony almost thirty minutes before she’d even began to stir awake. Tikki had let him in and Marinette woke up in a flail of limbs when she saw her partner sitting cross-legged at the edge of her bed.

She’d lightly thumped him a few times before going down to get breakfast-or lunch, Adrien taking the “physical abuse” in jest. When she came back, holding meals for the both of them, he was lying on the chaise, fiddling with a rubber ball.

Adrien checked his watch as the ball came back to his hand. “I doubt that girl would have even known who you were. Did you use an alias?”

Marinette shook her head with a frown. She took a bite from her set of dumplings before twirling back to face Adrien.

“Oh...wow, ok, well we dodged a bullet there I suppose.”

“Barely,” she retorted, spinning in her seat. “I mean I didn’t think I’d be getting that kind of attention to begin with.”

“Fine. All right, _ bugaboogle _ ,” he shrugged as he sat up. “I do sincerely apologize for nearly throwing your secret identity out the window.” 

“B-buh... _ bugaboogle _ ??” Marinette stuttered incredulously as she halted in her seat. “Did you get into Final Fantasy or something?”

Adrien smirked before pouting his lips and making kitten noises. He ambled across the room until he stood next to Marinette and her desk.

“I mean I love the Meow-gles. Such cute NPCs and so cat-like too. But they’re not the reason. Just thought it was cute! Though, honestly, would you mind?” He asked. “I mean, I gotta get creative you know? But I’ll stop if you really don’t like it.”

Marinette sighed in defeat as he bent over, close to her head. She ruffled his hair and he purred. “It’s fine,  _ minou _ , though I did tell you before to stop calling me bugaboo, didn’t I?”

“Well, that’s before we knew who we were under the masks. You told me you liked it in the end.”

Eyes full of warmth, she nodded. “Yeah, I did.”

He straightened up after a few minutes of head scratching, then leaned against her desk. “So. What should we do about...that girl?”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t get to think it through, but I mean of course we shouldn’t go back on our word to meet her, and I’ll probably give her an autograph and all that, but, do  _ you _ want to talk to her?”

Marinette paused in thought. As much as she had been irritated about his little invitation, she knew there wasn’t a lot of going back that she could do. It was her work that had been taken. And while a part of her wondered if she was making a big deal out of it all, something unexplainable fluttered in her chest, almost steely and powerful. She tightened her hand into a fist. “I’ll be there as Marinette.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that?” 

She nodded. “Maybe this could be an opportunity. But,” she swivelled in her seat. “Maybe we can bring someone who knows more about this stuff that we do combined?”

“Who were you thinking of?”

***

A small crowd had gathered around the Dupain-Cheng bakery, peering into the glass windows as Chat Noir handed over a few euros to the woman at the counter.

“Thank you,” Sabine said. “Hope you enjoy them, Chat Noir!”

“I will, thank you ma’m! Your pastries are amazing!” he replied as he walked out the door. In front, Ladybug stood, arms crossed and feet tapping while the pedestrians all began staring and pointing at the odd pair in the middle of the sidewalk. It was 3:50 in the afternoon, ten minutes before they were supposed to meet the girl.

“You still think this is a good idea?” Marinette asked.

“Don’t look at me, bugaboogle,” her partner whispered, emphasizing the nickname with a wink. “You’re the one who wanted to call Ladyblogger-extraordinaire. Now who’s risking my identity?”

Marinette squinted her eyes. To be fair, he was right. They had to handle this gently. While they knew Alya saw Chat Noir’s comment on the post, she had wondered if Ladybug was going to join them. When they told her she wasn’t, Alya had groaned in disappointment, but seemed to understand Ladybug’s pathetic excuse that she was going to be busy with something as a civilian. They hadn’t noticed Alya’s narrowed eyes when she gave her reason an hour ago, but to their surprise, she didn’t ask for any more details. 

Yet, they weren’t sure about the akumatized girl. She was going to meet Chat Noir. Not Chat Noir and Ladybug. Just Chat Noir and... a humble baker’s daughter who just happened to be the designer of those dresses. And they’d brought the budding journalist along with them. Alya stood inside the bakery, eyes focused on her phone as she flicked through different videos and photos. 

A few minutes later, an old woman approached them once the crowd had started to dissipate. 

“Excuse me,” she called out, catching their attentions. They whirled at her. “Did you say that you were meeting my daughter this afternoon?” the woman asked.

Chat Noir flinched. Marinette’s jaw dropped. “Y-your daughter?” They asked at the same time.

The old woman smiled and nodded, before tilting her head back. “Erika! Come on!” she shouted.

The girl emerged from behind a pole. “Hi Chat Noir. Nice to see you again,” she said sheepishly.

The superhero blinked owlishly at them. Then, Chat Noir thrust out her hand. “Hello! I’m glad you could make it,” he babbled.

“Likewise,” the mother said, who introduced herself as Julianna. “But...where’s Ladybug?” 

“Oh, she couldn’t make it,” Chat Noir sighed, hoping the added dejection in his voice was convincing. “She said she had something to deal with today. But, as a proxy, she had me take her instead.” He pointed at Marinette with this thumb

Marinette waved lightly to the two ladies. “Hey.”

Erika waved back, and the mother eyed her warily. “And, you are?”

“I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I study in Francois-Dupont-” She kicked herself for revealing that information. “My parents run the bakery behind us.”

“Ah, you’re their daughter! Glad to meet you,” Julianna greeted, with a shake of her hand. “Your parents’ croissants are wonderful!”

“Thanks,” Marinette squeaked. She noticed Erika had hidden behind her mother.

“Now, Erika here mentioned you, Chat Noir, wanted to speak with her about something, but she wouldn’t tell me what. Did she do something wrong?”

Chat Noir scratched his cheek with a finger. “Well, it’s…-”

“-complicated! But nothing to worry about,” Alya chirped as she walked out of the bakery with a grin. “Good afternoon, I’m Alya Cesaire! I’m in charge of the Ladyblog?”

Julianna blanched, then glanced back at Erika and the superheroes. “You...you never told me the press was going to be a part of this?” She gripped her daughter’s hand tightly.

“Whoa, easy there, miss. Though I’m flattered you think I’m press, you need not worry! Chat Noir invited me. Told me I’d be more capable to explain what exactly it is they wanted to talk with your daughter about. Trust me, everything here is off-record. Nothing talked about will be on the Ladyblog. Cross my heart.” 

“Ah,” the mother blinked. “Well, if that’s the case, am I to leave her in your hands?”

“If that’s what you want, we’re not stopping you from joining us.”

Julianna regarded at her daughter in a questioning glance. She was shaking her head, tugging on her arm. “You sure, child? You don’t want me to be with you? You might be akumatized again.”

“Maman, come on, don’t say that.” she whined. “I’m fine.”

Julianna laughed. “All right, well, I’ll be at the park then. I’m sure I can trust you guys,” she said as she turned to Chat Noir. 

“No worries ma’m. She’s safe with us! And actually, we’re going to the park too. There’s nowhere to sit here in the bakery.”

“Oh, well, I suppose you’ll want privacy. So I’ll be near the fountain.”

Julianna let go of Erika’s hand, before nodding at the group and patting her on the shoulder. “Let me know if you’re having trouble, Erika, all right?”

“Ok, maman.”

The mother walked off to cross the street. Erika stood still, looking at Chat Noir, then Marinette, and then at Alya. A curve on her lip appeared.

“Well, let’s get this meeting started then,” Chat Noir declared, with a stretch of his arms. “Madam, shall we?” He offered his arm. Erika hesitated, before smiling and taking it, blushing slightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, "bugaboogle" was actually an accident that happened while I was editing the chapter. But it sounded so cute I kept it. Maybe I'll use it for my Married AU as well.
> 
> I originally planned Julianna to be a friend who joined Erika, but Just_A_Fan made an intriguing comment in the previous chapter about having Victrine's mom involved. So I went with it (thanks for the suggestion!)
> 
> Anyway, we are nearing the end of the Miraculous Blackout and we've finally reached this point. I actually had planned this chapter to be longer but because it got way too long, I cut it in half. So guys get Part 1 for now!
> 
> Hope you've been enjoying so far! I admit I think I'm more comfortable writing this type of slow, slice-of-life style fic than writing akuma battles so my 10-page writing spree basically made up for the struggle I was having all week. 
> 
> Here are all the links again :)  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/143601777792/get-consent-kids  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/147201128992/reposted-art-and-you-a-guide-for-the-rest-of-the  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/155751961792/my-art-got-stolen-now-what-a-guide-for-artists  
> https://debmcalister.com/2013/04/28/copyright-myths-from-the-world-of-fan-fiction/  
> https://www.standoutbooks.com/fan-fiction-legal/  
> http://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/what-is-fair-use/  
> http://protectart.deviantart.com/journal/The-Art-Theft-Discussion-544490149 (Topic on Protection discusses art ownership on the Internet)


	7. Meeting (Pt.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little fun and _preachy_....
> 
>  
> 
> Miraculous Blackout ends today, July 15 :) Please remember what we did this for.

As they made their way to the park, Alya whispered to Marinette. “Chat Noir’s quite the gentleman, don’t you think?” 

Marinette raised an eyebrow at her. She could hear him talking to Erika in mutters, and saw how at ease the girl had become around him. She smiled, fondness bubbling up in her chest. “Yeah, he is, huh.”

“Let’s just hope that girl doesn’t develop a crush on him or vice versa.”

“What?” she whirled at Alya. “Why would you say that?”

“I’m pretty sure he has a thing with Ladybug.”

“I don’t think so, I mean...are you sure?”

“I know so. I’ve seen those two interact. They’re practically a couple if not literally so.”

Marinette bit back the blush that had begun to creep into her cheeks. She shrugged her shoulders, hoping to mask the unease that had taken over in her. 

“Well, I mean they’ll announce it if anything happens, right?” Marinette suggested, trying not to laugh or squeak.

“I’ll be waiting for that then, if it means I have to run the Ladyblog for twenty years,” Alya declared with a pump of her fist. Then, she glanced at Marinette who was now biting her lip and looking a little pale. “You ok there, girl?”

“I-I-...” Marinette started. But any further words were interrupted when Chat Noir began calling for them in the middle of a field. She saw him lead Erika to sit next to him as they caught up.

“So,” Chat Noir said, clapping his hands together as soon as Alya and Marinette found their spots in front of them. “Erika says she’s been using Instagram for quite awhile now, right?” He looked at the girl in the question. She  nodded quietly. 

“Now, my dear. Why don’t we cut to the chase? Alya?”

“Wait, what?”

“Do...you want to explain?”

“Oh! W-well-.”

She saw the girl eyeing curiously. Sighing, she peeked at Marinette, who was looking just as unsure as she was.

Chat Noir frowned. “Fine then. Erika?”

“Hmm?”

“This is the owner of those dress designs you posted,” he announced, planting his hand on Marinette, who flinched at his proclamation.

Erika gaped. “Wait, your friend is Chat Noir?” she gasped. Marinette tilted her head in a nod.

“You can consider me a fan of this lady’s designs,” he said with a grin. “I stumbled upon her blog some time ago and loved everything on it since.” 

Marinette noticed the small wink he gave her, unnoticed by their companions. 

“Ohmygoodness,  I’m sorry! I-I...oh gosh, wait-Chat Noir-I gotta-”

“Hey, Erika, it’s ok,” Chat Noir raised a hand. “Calm down. You’re fine. But...do you know what happened?”

Erika pursed her lips and frowned, taking a few seconds to think. Then, she looked up at Marinette.

“I...I posted something when I wasn’t supposed to?”

“And...what was that something?”

Erika looked at Marinette as she answered. “Her dress designs...but-!”

Alya regarded her with a raised eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Well...I mean,” Erika doubled back. “It’s not like I was...taking anything right? I just posted it on my profile, cuz I liked it so much. Is...is something wrong with that?”

Marinette looked at Chat Noir, who glimpsed back at her. But before she could say anything, Alya continued. 

“Actually, yes,” the reporter said. “Right here on Instagram’s terms of service!”

To demonstrate, she pulled out her computer, made a few clicks and taps on her keyboard, and then flipped it over for everyone to see. Erika read it slowly, making sure she took in every word while Chat Noir and Marinette waited in tense air. After reading, Erika gaped at Alya.

“Wow..I didn’t know...”

“Too many people don’t read the terms on the websites. It’s a given. I mean I’m sure Chat Noir and Marinette don’t read those things either,” the reporter winked as both of them gawked at her. 

“Hey!”

“Not the point, Mari.”

Erika giggled.

“But, now you know! And it's the same for many other websites like social media and merchants sites out there. Basically, everything you post is supposed to be pictures that you own, which means you made the image, etcetera. Like all the Ladyblog shots! I took most of those. And if not, I ask the person who took it for permission and then put credit on the post. The problem is in your case, you took Marinette’s photos and posted them without any credit _or_ permission.”

Erika was now looking apologetically at Marinette, Alya's words sinking into her. To their surprise, no protests came about and they all eyed each other silently.

“Would you have been ok if I did credited you then?” she said, breaking the awkward silence.

Marinette shrugged. “To be honest, I hadn’t thought about it, since this is not exactly something I’ve had to deal with before.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“You’re fine!”

“But I’m sure you were able to get more viewers..right? I mean, even Chat Noir likes your stuff!”

Alya slammed her laptop closed, startling them. “Wrong,” she asserted. “In fact you probably took away her viewers by posting them there.”

“Alya,” Marinette said, placing a hand on her fiery friend’s shoulder. “It’s ok. But,” she regarded Erika again. “I honestly wasn’t really looking for a lot of viewers or page-hits...at least not yet. I don’t think I could handle what Alya has to deal with all the time.”

“W-why? Your stuff is amazing though!”

Marinette scratched her arm, pink dusting her cheeks. “T-thank you very much! It’s just...I have some things to think about I guess? Before I let it out to the world that the Dupain-Cheng daughter has her own fashion blog!”

“I guess, I mean, fine. You have your reasons.”

She nodded.

Hunching back, Erika sighed. “Darn, I'm learning a lot today. Kinda bites but I guess for the better?"

Then, she looked at Chat Noir, who stared back with ears perked up. 

“Sorry for being rude before, Chat Noir. I shouldn’t have yelled at you online,” she said, burying herself in her shirt.

Chat Noir patted her back. “You’re forgiven! Just...don’t do it again, I suppose,” he laughed. “You gotta learn how to react online. It’s a public space just like everywhere else around us in real life.”

“Yeah, I got it,” she nodded. “I don't say that stuff in front of my mother for example. Now...is this all you were going to talk to me about?”

All three paused in thought, looking down to the ground as if they'd mentally searched for any more words to say.

“You’re definitely a lot calmer now than you were online," Chat Noir pointed out. "Did you get mad about having your post taken down ?”

“Yeah, and I got a copyright strike. I was also scared. If my mom had found out about any of this, she would've killed me.” Erika pouted. 

Alya snapped her fingers, catching her attention. "This is actually a lot more common than you think, Erika. This whole taking-other-people's-stuff-online. I’ve had a lot of Ladybug fans tell me about times their art was posted on other sites without their permission or even their knowledge, just like what you’d done with Marinette’s.”

Erika gasped. “Wow, it’s that bad?”

Alya nodded. “Yeah, but then when those people get reported, they will sometimes go to the artist and send hate messages to them! I’d blame it on ignorance, but some of them, apparently from what I heard, can be total brats about it. I feel bad for those fans.”

“Goodness…,” Erika placed a hand on her upper arm. “I didn’t realize…”

“I try to tell my followers from time to time to be nice to each other. I can’t control them, but some reminders are good and so are admin privileges, especially when you run a popular blog. Did you know I’ve had people submit posts, making it off as theirs when in reality, it belonged to someone else? I nearly got into legal trouble once.”

Erika gaped. So did Marinette and Chat Noir. “Alya, wow, you didn’t tell me about that,” Marinette said.

“It’s true. I mean I managed to get it all sorted out in 24 hours without needing a lawyer, but yeah. People can be total jerks.”

“Yikes,” Erika spoke in a hush. “That blog must be a handful, huh?” 

Alya beamed. “Very. But I enjoy what I do so I keep doing it.” Then, she gazed at Chat Noir, who smiled back, and Marinette, who twitched more than she smiled.

The girl chuckled. “This is nice. Honestly, I’m still internally freaking out that I get to speak not just to Chat Noir but to the girl behind the Ladyblog. I mean, sure I guess, it was so you guys could tell me about what happened, but honestly? Thanks! I can tell my friends about all this too!”

“Actually, yeah you probably could and should,” Chat Noir suggested. “It would be good to let others know. What about your mom though?”

Erika involuntarily glanced at her mother. She had been sitting at the mouth of the fountain, feeding a flock of pigeons with what looked like another man in a grey hat. Her eye twitched when she looked back at three teenagers sitting in front of her.

“I...I wanna keep this secret, at least for awhile. To be honest, my mom’s been going through a lot lately. No need to add this in her list of issues.”

“Ok, that’s totally fine. I mean, we've settled things here anyway so there's not need for a third party.” Chat Noir chuckled. Soon, the other three began to laugh with him. Theyy  slowly fell into comfortable conversation as minutes ticked by. It was an odd sight, Marinette thought. A group of four kids, one of them (well two of them) superheroes, and two former akuma. To her luck, no one bothered them as they talked, and soon Erika was laughing heartily with them, the topic of urgency soon leaving their discussion completely. Chat Noir and Marinette both made sure not to share too much personal information that could potentially out them for who they really were while Alya and Erika fangirled over the two superheroes. 

She flinched when she heard Julianna calling.

“Huh, so I guess that’s that,” Erika said as she stood up, dusting her skirt. “Guys, thank you so much for telling me all of this. I mean, yeah this was..kinda weird but I’d definitely brag about this with my friends,” she laughed. “Thanks so much for letting me meet you guys though, but I probably should head home now.”

The three followed suit in standing up, Chat Noir helping Marinette with a light tug of his arm. “If you must,” he said turning to their new friend. “But first, Erika!”

The girl spun around right before she was about to call back. 

“Do you have anything I could write on?”

Eyebrows knitting, Erika fished for a notebook she had kept in her bag then handed it to Chat Noir in reluctance. “Here, but please don’t mind all those doodles. They’re really bad.”

Chat Noir quickly glanced at the first few pages. “What are you talking about, Erika, these are great!” 

Marinette peeked over his shoulder before Erika could protest any further, eyes widening as she saw the numerous dress designs, poses, and even animals. Though, while admittedly they were a lot of rougher in skill, Marinette grinned from side to side.

“Erika, you should share these!”

“B-but they’re really bad! No one would like those,” she stammered.

“Yeah they will!”

“I agree,” Alya added as she took a look at the notebook. “You gotta a lot of potential here, kid.”

Erika began to blush, squeezing herself in before whispering a “thank you” as her mother called her again.

“Shoot, I really gotta go.”

“Ah right!” Chat Noir turned. “Alya, pen?”

She took it out. In one swift motion, Chat Noir grabbed the marker, found a blank page, then scribbled something before handing it back to Erika. She flipped through the notebook, eyes widening when her eyes fell upon Chat Noir’s signature (which happened to be a pawprint, a cat-face with the letters CN written next to it) right in the corner of the page.

“What? Oh gosh, Chat Noir, thank you so much! It’s…,” she peered at it. “It’s really cute!”

“What can I say? I am a cute cat!” He winked and flicked his tail. The girl giggled in response. 

Then, after several seconds of silence, Erika walked off with a goodbye, waving back at the three before sprinting to her mother. They all watched as Erika skipped in her step and the mother smiled in response. By then, the sun was casting its red hue all over Paris, signaling the end of yet another day. Chat Noir spun to face Alya, bowing to her with a thank you and a promise for an interview with just him at least (he’d have to ask Ladybug if she’d join him). Marinette, on the other hand, stared at the girl and the woman as they exited the park, shaking her head with a curl of her lip. 

Eventually, Chat Noir leapt off into the distance, and she was left alone with her best friend.

“So, that went well huh?” Alya asked.

Marinetted nodded. “Yeah, a lot better than I expected actually.”

“I’m glad she was open to hearing this. I was expecting a lot of protests or raging or anger or something.”

Agreeing, she tilted her head to regard Alya. “Hey, uh, thanks for doing this. Really, it means a lot.”

“Aw come on, Mari! What are friends for?” Then, in a swoop, she threw her arm around her shoulders. “Besides, it wasn’t you who called me, it was Chat Noir. I’m just curious as to why he’d be a fan of your fashion designs and deal with this himself. Very odd circumstances I admit”

Marinette frowned.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong! Girl, your designs are the greatest, old and new. I just..never pegged Chat Noir to be some fashion freak.”

Marinette shook her head. “I’m sure he’s not,” she said. “I suppose Chat Noir just appreciates that sort of thing from time to time.”

Alya tapped her chin with her free hand as they made their way back to the bakery. “I suppose.” Then, a glint appeared in one eye behind her glasses as if scanning her. Marinette gulped, anxiety dripping into her more and more. 

“Ah, well it’s Chat Noir. We’ll just let him be for now,” her friend winked. “Come on, girl. I’m hungry. Would your mom mind?”

“Nah, actually, I’d asked her if she was willing to let you stay with us for dinner, since you were at the bakery for awhile. And this would be my thank you for everything that’s happened!”

“Oh! Well in that case,” Alya tugged at Marinette. “Let’s go! My hunger must be satiated!”

As they walked, Marinette shot a text to Adrien while she was a step or two behind Alya, telling him not to visit her until much later that night.

He replied shortly with a tear-emoji and then a winky meow face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Yes, in this case, these were very ideal circumstances which unfortunately happens rarely. But what Alya said is true in real life.
> 
> First of all, the **difference between reposting and reblogging/retweeting/sharing** has been provided in the links below. In summary, you repost when you save a photo or a screenshot of something that's not yours then upload it to your own account page. Instagram and Youtube are built so that people are expected to post their original material, not anyone else's. With Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook, you have sharing options so that the shared post links back to the original. Take advantage of those three if you want to.
> 
>  **Second, permission** : This is something a lot of people never actually consider whenever they post others' work on their profiles. They don't ask. Didn't we all learn as children to always ask for permission when we wanted to borrow or use someone else's stuff? That totally applies here too. For people who do allow the reposting of their work, they usually want people to ask first. So _ask permission_. Oh and try to refrain from editing the work. It can be pretty disrespectful to the artist who made it like adding salt and pepper in front of the chef of your food can be seen the same way.
> 
>  **Third, credit:** Some artists allow reposting as long as credit is given. There are plenty of ways to find the original artist of an image like reverse search images. By crediting them at least, you show that you didn't make the work. But again, I bring you back to permissions. Make sure that the artist you're posting the work from allows reposts with credit. If not, and if you can't find the original artist, _don't post it at all_.
> 
> Remember that websites like Pinterest, Google, Weheartit, NONE of them count as proper credit. In fact a lot of people now look down on such websites/methods of looking for art precisely because most of the time, the credit is lost in the mess.
> 
>  Despite creators and companies having complete legal authority in submitting copyright takedowns in various websites, a lot of people still cry foul over it. Just recently, I found out that one fan-artist was threatened with legal action, a counter-notice, and even hacking by a comic dub account on Youtube because one of her comics was being used and even monetized without her permission and subsequently taken down via copyright form. Imagine the stress that puts on the original creator of the content.
> 
> Personally, I've had a few anonymous hate messages sent to me that I suspect were from reposters I'd reported pieces earlier, because they're usually sent within the 24 or so hours of having a post taken down.
> 
> The content theft has been going on for years, believe me. I've seen tons of other people's work taken, made products out of, reposted, etc. etc. by various people looking to make a quick buck or quick rise in followers. But this fandom, in my observation, has been one of the most vocal against it. Interesting, but I'm glad for it to be honest because in reality, this is something that has a legal basis underneath all of it. This isn't some shipping war or opinion-based struggle.
> 
> Anyway, thank you SO much for reading this. I admit, it was a rocky first-start for me in terms of writing multi-chapter fics but maybe one of these days, I'll write another one :) 
> 
> P.S. I will mostly likely be writing an epilogue after the Blackout ;)
> 
>  
> 
>  _ **LOOK MORE LINKS**_  
>  -https://www.youtube.com/copyright_school (<\- I found this after I realized someone who got a copyright takedown can actually just do this and wait 90 days for the strike to be removed, as long as they weren't a repeat offender).  
> -https://qookyquiche.tumblr.com/post/162783770835/shittyninja-susiron-nokki1-nakioutsuno  
> -https://qookyquiche.tumblr.com/post/162787284775/i-was-wondering-if-i-reblog-your-work-will-you-be  
> https://powerdragonmoon.tumblr.com/post/163001555278/hello-i-am-a-little-new-to-tumblr-and-i-was-just
> 
>  http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/143601777792/get-consent-kids  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/147201128992/reposted-art-and-you-a-guide-for-the-rest-of-the  
> http://wintermoth.tumblr.com/post/155751961792/my-art-got-stolen-now-what-a-guide-for-artists  
> https://debmcalister.com/2013/04/28/copyright-myths-from-the-world-of-fan-fiction/  
> https://www.standoutbooks.com/fan-fiction-legal/  
> http://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/what-is-fair-use/  
> http://protectart.deviantart.com/journal/The-Art-Theft-Discussion-544490149 (Topic on Protection discusses art ownership on the Internet)


	8. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh, I finally wrote the epilogue. My deepest apologies to those who have been waiting for it, especially because it's pretty short.
> 
> But honestly, this is all just fluff. Nothing with plot. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

There was a knock on her skylight. 

Looking up from her magazine, Marinette scooted over as Chat Noir jumped in through the open trapdoor and quickly de-transformed as he hit the bed. He flopped against the mattress and stretched out, opening his mouth in a dramatic yawn while Marinette chuckled next to him, seeing that he had already been dressed down to his pajamas.

“Tired, kitty cat?” she asked him, stroking a stray tuft of hair on his head.

He made a noise of affirmation then snuggled himself further into her cat pillow. “You told me not to come till much later. It’s almost 1 am, Mari,” he groaned sleepily. “But I’m here now, your knight-in-shining-armor.”

“You didn’t  _ have  _ to, Adrien. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t accidentally pop up while Alya was in the house. You got lucky tonight. It hasn’t been thirty minutes since she left.”

“Well, I wanted to come, My Lady,” he drawled as he sat up. “And I credit you for all my good luck.”

“Oh, wonderful. I was afraid you were going to betray me by stealing the credit,” Marinette quipped, a light twinkle in her eye. 

“Bugaboogle, after today, I don’t think that’s ever going to happen.” He bowed while seated, throwing his arms out to add flair in his movement. 

She blushed, despite the new pet name already growing on her. But Marinette could see the weariness in his eyes as he sat back up. They were both tired. While she had managed to get some sleep that morning, fatigue from the previous night still lingered in her bones. In fact, if Adrien had not shown up, she would’ve most likely dozed off after just a few minutes of reading her magazine. Talking and listening with Erika, as well as spending the evening with Alya had drained her more than she cared to admit. 

As if on cue, she let out a wide yawn, covering her mouth with a magazine.

“Someone’s tired too,” Adrien pointed out with a comforting look. “I should probably let you sleep.”

She watched as he swung himself around, planting his feet off the bed and onto the floor. Leaning forward, she grabbed his shoulder, so that he was looking at her over where her fingers.

“Don’t go,” she urged, before slowly releasing him. Her partner gave her a questioning look and she hoped he couldn’t see the intensifying blush in her cheeks. “S-Stay for the night?”

“Uh...,” Adrien stammered. “Are you sure your parents are not going to-?”

“-You’ll be gone before they decide to check up on me, won't you?”

“...right.” His forehead wrinkled, gazing at her. "Yeah, most likely."

“I-I’m sorry,” she started to ramble. “To be honest, I’ve hardly had time to just...relax about things. I decided to explain everything to my parents and while they’re concerned, I told them it wasn’t anything to worry about? There’s no worry or anything, it’s just...legal stuff without the need for a lawyer...hopefully.”

Adrien let out a short breath. He twisted again, moving closer until he was kneeling on the bed less than a foot away from her. He took her hand, wrapping it in his and gave her the warmest smile he could muster.

“Mari, it’s all right,” he soothed. “It’s done. I’m glad your parents aren’t freaking out over this. My dad would. And, hey. Erika left happy so I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about from her either.”

“You gave her your autograph, of course she’d be happy.” Marinette deadpanned. “Didn’t you say you hate giving autographs?”

“As Adrien, perhaps. But as Chat Noir, I don’t mind it too much since we don’t usually spend so much time among our fans.” he waggled his eyebrows.

“Kid, you love and hate the attention at the same time, it’s kinda weird.” Plagg added with a shout from below. The black kwami was sitting on the edge of the chaise next to Tikki as he gulped down a piece of camembert. Marinette giggled when Adrien pouted in his direction.

She kept her eyes on him even after he lay his on her. The air stilled. Any words she would’ve said died in her throat when she noticed how green his eyes were.

“Do you still want me to stay?” Adrien asked, ending their quiet moment.

Marinette nodded. “Yeah, plus I want to hug something that isn’t my cat pillow this time,” she winked.

She heard him snort, then saw the expectant expression directed towards her. While her cheeks were still warm, the serene tension that had arisen after she first asked him was gone, replaced with something much more homely. She watched as Adrien shifted until he could push his legs underneath the covers and patted the area next to him before lifting an end up.

With a grin, she crawled over to him, getting into the covers feet first until she felt the tips of her toes touching his foot. She tried not to think about their proximity, instead adjusting herself until she was comfortably nestled under the duvet, facing up at Adrien. He was laying on his side, arm propping up his head. 

Then, he lay down on his back before flipping on the other side and switching off the light so that only the moon casted its glow into the room. Adrien threw a quick goodnight to his kwami,with Marinette following suit, before they both snuggled further under the covers.

Marinette’s hand lay in front of her, between them, as she faced her partner in the darkness. Blood rushed into her face again, but she shook it away and edged even closer. Adrien, looking just as flustered as she was, wriggled until they were separated by only her hand and a few inches. He hovered his hand over hers, fingers brushing against the top, then laid it down gently. 

Her eyes began to drift, the soft confines of her duvet wrapping around them like a cocoon. Adrien’s hand tightened on hers and she tucked her head in so that her forehead was right in front of his face, fully settled into the pillow. She could feel their breaths intermingle but the urge to close the gap ebbed away along with her consciousness.

The last thing she felt was a pair of lips on her hair as sleep finally took her once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's it! That's the end!
> 
> Thank you guys so much for coming along in the ride guys, thanks for reading, thanks for the comments, the kudos everything!
> 
> And I hope for those who are reading this for the first time without any clue as to what was going on in the ML fandom and still goes on, I hope this has opened your eyes at least somewhat and helped you be more aware of the situations, potential solutions and actions that people undertake.
> 
> Thanks again everyone and see you again for my next project ^ u ^

**Author's Note:**

> So yes, I'm basing this fic from some personal experience. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this!  
> Come visit me or say hi on my Tumblr here => https://qookyquiche.tumblr.com/


End file.
